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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES S. HIGBIE, OF SOUTH AMBOY, N -EW JERSEY, AND ALBERT YV. DOUGHERTY OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ASPHALTUM COMPOUND AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION aiming part. of Lottorn Pat-ant No. 387,357,dated Augnnt 7, 1888 T all whom it may cancer-724' Be it known that we, Moses S. Hteme, of South Amboy. New Jersey, and ALBERT .V. DOUGHERTY, of Brooklyn, New York, have invented a new and Improved Process of P.0- fining Asphaltnm, of which the following is such ufnll, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which it moot nearly appertains to make and use the same.

Asphaltuxn referred to in this specification it; to be distinguished from bitumen referred to in anotherapplication. Serial 30.258211, tiled by us the same day this was filed. We confine the term "asphnltnm to the material, which is a solid at ordinary temperatures, as distinguished from bitumemwhich at ordinary temperatures is a. fluid.

This process relates to the removal of impurities from usphaltum and the softening or rendering pliant and flexible such as is too hand nod friable tub service in thear't; e mi it consists in heating to and illflin ftillt if e? nt above the hoiling'pointoi' water pn'rnilinewax and oil oro. like product of petroleum in a vessel to which heat is applied and adding to i such boiling liquid the hard lusphnltun: to be melted in smnll pieces from time totimc. contiuuing heat suflicient to maintain an ehnllition of the liquid throughout the process.

The hard and impure asphaltum cannot be melted in an ordinary vessel by the application oi heat, us the nsplmltum chaos and burns before melting. To prevent the burning, we use p'nrafiinearax and oil orother like pro duct of petroleum melted together in a unitahle weasel. and add the nspln ltnm in smell quantities and small pieces from time to time, adding more as that already added becomes dissolved until a large percentage of the mixture is aephaltum. The whole menu is kept at a boiling point or cbnllition, no thnt the we.- ter, sulphur, acids, and all volatile or volatiliznble impurities :ire driven oil into the 3141103 phere, on well as portions of the petroleum products used as a solvent. The hard e which cannot be dissolved by this trentment such as the sand, rock, and gravel mixed with the anphnltum-will settle to the bottom of the vessel, and may be lelt in it until after the purified portion has been punch out. or run on, when it mrbe removed. --The usphaltum thus treated will be found pliant and ilexible and equal to the best and most expensive ILlphaltum for use in the arts.

'By a proper proportioning oi the nsphaltnm aud'petroleum products and proper boiling the resulting product may he nmdelmrti or soft, as may be desired. \\'e have found that good results are obtained by using fr m titty tu eighty per cent. of hard asphultuin to tifty to twenty per cent. oftlir petro -mm rniluvh and continuing the boiling; Ullill no steam or fumes are driven oli from the boiling more. We generally use lllt' rc illnum from the ru fining of petroleum tor lni'u-r :lluminating or lubricating oils. which CllllalSlS of 1mm ten to thirty per cent. oil and Sevculy to ninety per cent. parothue-wax, and place it in a vessel heated by astcam-jncket or lire and provided with an agitator to stir continually the mate rial in it. Other like products of petroleum mnv, however. he used and the agitator may be omitted from the vessel without departing: from our iuvenlion.

Thetrcotmcntofhitunmn with purafitiuc-Wnx in not, claimed in this application. as it ie claimed in application Serial No. 258,2! I, made by us.

What we claim an new, and iiti-iil'e to secure by Letters Patent, iii-- 1. The process herein described of refining asphaltummhich couaiete in adding it in email quantities from time totinic toabnlh of melted parniiiue-wnx and mineral oil and nuhi'ecting it to heat eufiicient. to melt it and to v0 utilize certain impurities therein contained, substantially as specified.

2. The process herein described oi refining asplialtum whlch consists in subjecting it) to l a. bath of boiling parnfilue-wait end mlnm-nl oil, and subjecting it to heat snliicient to melt it and t0 volatilize certain impurities therein contained, 88 opccified.

3. The compound of parnfline-wax, mineral oil, and aopholtum malted together ltnd freed from volatile impurities, as specified.

MOSES S. HIUBIE. ALBERT W. DOUGH'ERTY. Witnenqee:

Jounra J. Bnnmvan, JOHN E. Ewnunonr. 

